IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 471 

Recognizing Filipino American History Month and celebrating the history 

and culture of Filipino Americans and their immense contributions to 

the United States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 8, 2015 

Mr. HONDA (for himself, Ms. JUDY CHU of California, Mr. VARGAS, Mr. TED

LIEU of California, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. SCOTT of 

Virginia, Ms. GABBARD, Mr. KILMER, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. LOFGREN, Ms. 

MENG, Mr. SWALWELL of California, Mr. FARR, Mr. BECERRA, Mr. 

PETERS, Ms. LEE, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. SCHIFF, Ms. ESHOO, and Ms. 

BASS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing Filipino American History Month and celebrating the history and culture of Filipino Americans 

and their immense contributions to the United States. 

Whereas the earliest documented Filipino presence in the 

continental United States occurred on October 18, 1587, 

when the first Luzones Indios arrived in Morro Bay, 

California, on board the Nuestra Sen ̃ora de Esperanza, 

a Manila-built galleon ship; 

Whereas the Filipino American National Historical Society 

recognizes 1763 as the year in which the first permanent 


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•HRES 471 IH 

Filipino settlement in the United States was established 

in St. Malo, Louisiana; 

Whereas the recognition of the first permanent Filipino settlement in the United States adds a new perspective to 

United States history by bringing attention to the economic, cultural, social, and other notable contributions 

made by Filipino Americans to the development of the 

United States; 

Whereas, with a population of approximately 3,416,840 individuals, the Filipino American community is the second 

largest Asian American and Pacific Islander group in the 

United States; 

Whereas, from the Civil War to the Iraq and Afghanistan 

conflicts, Filipino American servicemen and servicewomen 

have a longstanding history of serving in the Armed 

Forces; 

Whereas 250,000 Filipinos fought under the United States 

flag during World War II to protect and defend the 

United States in the Pacific theater; 

Whereas Filipino Americans continue to demonstrate a commendable sense of patriotism and honor; 

Whereas nine Filipino Americans have received the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force that can be bestowed upon 

an individual serving in the Armed Forces; 

Whereas Filipino American farm workers and labor leaders, 

such as Philip Vera Cruz and Larry Itliong, played an 

integral role in the multiethnic United Farm Workers 

movement alongside Cesar Cha ́vez, Dolores Huerta, and 

other Latino workers; 


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•HRES 471 IH 

Whereas the late Thelma Garcia Buchholdt, born in Claveria, 

Cagayan, in the Philippines, became the first Filipino 

woman elected to a State legislative body in the United 

States upon her election to the Alaska House of Representatives in 1974; became the first Filipino to serve in 

a U.S. mainland State legislature; and authored a comprehensive history book, ‘‘Filipinos in Alaska: 1788– 

1958’’, to promote awareness and pride in Alaska’s Filipino heritage; 

Whereas Filipino Americans play an integral role in the 

United States healthcare system as nurses, doctors, and 

other medical professionals; 

Whereas Filipino Americans have contributed greatly to 

music, dance, literature, education, business, journalism, 

sports, fashion, politics, government, science, technology, 

the fine arts, and other fields that enrich the landscape 

of the United States; 

Whereas, as stated in the mission statement of the Filipino 

American National Historical Society, efforts should continue to promote the study of Filipino American history 

and culture because the roles of Filipino Americans and 

other people of color have largely been overlooked in the 

writing, teaching, and learning of United States history; 

Whereas it is imperative for Filipino American youth to have 

positive role models to instill in them the significance of 

education, complemented by the richness of Filipino 

American ethnicity, and the value of the Filipino American legacy; and 

Whereas it is essential to promote the understanding, education, and appreciation of the history and culture of FilVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:52 Oct 09, 2015 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR471.IH HR471

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•HRES 471 IH 

ipino Americans in the United States: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes the celebration of Filipino Amer3 ican History Month as— 

4 (A) a study of the advancement of Filipino 

5 Americans; 

6 (B) a time to reflect on and remember the 

7 many notable contributions that Filipino Ameri8 cans have made to the United States; and 

9 (C) a time to renew efforts toward the re10 search and examination of history and culture 

11 so as to provide an opportunity for all people of 

12 the United States to learn more about Filipino 

13 Americans, and to appreciate the historic con14 tributions of Filipino Americans to the United 

15 States; and 

16 (2) urges the people of the United States to ob17 serve Filipino American History Month with appro18 priate programs and activities. 

Æ 


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